Aldi's $79.99 Easy Home spiral spring mixer tap has been found to contaminate the water that runs through it with 15 times the maximum allowable limit of lead, according to a report from the Courier Mail.

Estimates suggest 12,000 homes in Australia have installed the
Chinese-manufactured tap sold by the budget supermarket chain, leading to health warnings and ongoing investigations.

"There is cause for concern," says Brett Bassett, the head of the
Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC), which identified
the threat and commissioned the testing.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has cautioned the
public on using the tap. "If there is a risk that consumer goods may cause
injury the ACCC expects suppliers and manufacturers to put voluntary
recalls in place to protect consumers," a spokesman was quoted as saying.

Testing was carried out by Queensland Health's Forensic and Scientific
Services on a single tap, but the concerning results have led to the ACCC
launching an investigation.

Additional testing will be undertaken, which will include taps being broken
apart to determine the lead contained in the brass parts.

Aldi Australia says customers unsatisfied with the tap are "welcome to return it to the store for a full refund".

"Aldi is liaising with the responsible authorities and our supplier to investigate the matter with utmost urgency. If at any stage test results confirm that chemical parameters do not meet regulatory requirements, Aldi will take appropriate action," a spokesperson told CHOICE.

"It was independently tested and confirmed to comply with Australian standards prior to going on sale," she adds.

The spiral spring mixer tap went on sale as an Aldi special buy a month ago on 10 June.

Earlier testing found it cleared Australian standards. The
International Association for Plumbing and Mechanical Officials certified
the tap after it came under the lead limit by a factor 9.5 times.

The taps were made by Zhejiang Keen Faucet Co, a company based in China,
300km south of Shanghai.

Aldi has a concentrated store presence across the east coast of Australia. It is estimated 3000 of the taps are
installed in households in Queensland, with the bulk of the remaining 9000
to be found in NSW and Victorian households.

Lead interferes with the production of protein in blood that transports
oxygen. The effects vary wildly, from experiencing shortness of breath
during physical activity to death in high levels.